Andover moves to streamline IT functions

Andover early next year expects to hire its first chief information officer, a step toward creating a streamlined approach to meeting the town’s information technology needs.

Currently, Town Hall, the school system, the public safety departments, and the town library each rely on their own hardware and software, with the equivalent of nearly 18 full-time IT employees spread among the four areas.

A report prepared by the consulting firm Blum Shapiro highlights the advantages of creating a single IT department that would provide service to all municipal and school departments.

“We have duplication of effort,” said Selectman Alex Vispoli. “We expect to reduce that duplication over time. There should be cost savings resulting not just on the process level, but on the equipment level as well.”

Plans for consolidating the town’s IT functions grew in part out of discussions in recent years with neighboring towns about sharing services. Vispoli said that Andover may eventually be in position to offer the services of its IT department to other communities, creating a new source of revenue for the town.

The 114-page report by Blum Shapiro cost Andover roughly $50,000, according to Vispoli. But he said the town’s volunteer Information Technology Committee saved about twice that much by handling the inventory and assessment of Andover’s IT assets on its own, rather than turning those tasks over to an outside firm.